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brother play. Whenever Mr. Kelway came to teach him, San* 

 conftantly attended, and accompanied Charles on the chair. Un- 

 daunted by Mr. Kelway' s frown, he went on ; and when he did not 

 fee the harpfichord e he crofted his hands on the chair, as the other 

 on the inftrument, without ever miffing a time. 



He was fo exceffive fond of Scarlatti, that if Charles ever began 

 playing his leffon before Sam was called, he would cry and roar 

 as if he had been beat. Mr. Madan, his Godfather, finding him 

 one day fo belabouring the chair, told him, " He fhould have a 

 " better inftrument by and by." 



I have fince recollected Mr. Kelway's words : " It is of the ut- 

 " moil importance to a learner to hear the beji mujic" And, " If 

 " any man would learn to play well, let him hear Charles." Sam; 

 had this double advantage from his birth. As his brother em- 

 ployed the evenings in Handel's Oratorios, Sam was always at 

 his elbow, liftening and joining with his voice. Nay, he would 

 fometimes prefume to find fault with his playing when we thought: 

 he could know nothing of the matter. 



He was between four and five years old when he got hold of the- 

 oratorio of Samfon, and by that alone taught himfelf to read' 

 words, foon after he taught himfelf to write. From this time he 

 fprung up like a mufhroom, and when turned of five could read. 



e Incredible as this may appear, it is attefted by the whole family ; 

 and that he generally turned his back to his brother whilft he was play- 

 ing. I think however that this extraordinary fact maybe thus accounted 

 for : There are fome pafTages in Scarlatti's leffons which require the 

 croffing of hands (or playing the treble with the left, and the bafe with 

 the right) ; but as what calls for this unufual fingering produces a very 

 lingular effect, the child muft have felt, that thefe parts of the compo- 

 fition could not be executed in any other way. It is poffible indeed 

 lhat he might have obferved his brother croffing hands at thefe parages, 

 and imitated him by recollecting that they were thus fingered. 



perfectly 



